The Netherlands cleared to purchase $2.2 billion in Tomahawk missiles
The approved purchase is for Tomahawk Block IV and Block V missiles, control systems, telemetry missiles and communication and broadcast systems.
USS Independence pictured in the Pacific Ocean. (Photo: USN/Chief Mass Communication Specialist Shannon Renfroe)
Austal USA is to provide ‘emergent repair and continuous maintenance’ for Independence-class Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs) operating in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean, under a new $72.51 million contract from the US Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center in Yokosuka and Singapore.
‘The contract will include a one 24-month base period beginning in January with three additional 12-month option periods,’ the DoD announced on 23 November.
‘Work will be primarily performed in Singapore, with a percentage that cannot be determined at this time in countries and ports within the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean,’ the DoD added.
If contract options are exercised, the total value of the contract will rise to $215.88 million and work will be completed by December 2026.
The USN has received 13 out of the 19 Independence-class LCS vessels on order, according to Shephard Defence Insight.
The approved purchase is for Tomahawk Block IV and Block V missiles, control systems, telemetry missiles and communication and broadcast systems.
The Philippine Navy is fast-tracking its maritime modernisation with new warships, unmanned platforms, and international shipbuilding partnerships to bolster its regional deterrence posture.
Taiwan is strengthening its deterrence against the PLA through an asymmetric arsenal that includes fast mine-laying vessels and domestically developed UAVs.
L3Harris is targeting European naval modernisation with new uncrewed surface vessels, SATCOM partnerships, and regional investments including defence exercises and facility openings.
In an exclusive interview with Shephard, DSTA chief Ng Chad-son outlines how the agency is reshaping defence tech development through deeper collaboration with industry partners, from AI-enhanced radar to smart naval munitions.
The agreement is intended to boost opportunities for both UK and Norwegian naval shipbuilding.